Social Media and Direct Mail - A Perfect Fit!

May 09, 2014

Don’t Ignore Social Media

Marketing your business used to be a fairly cut and dry process. You figured out your budget; you decided on the best use of those funds; you strategized your campaigns and you put your plan into action. It’s not that simple in 2014.

In today’s digital world, businesses need to take social media into consideration to get the most out of their direct mail marketing campaigns. Adding the social media component to your direct mail campaign will boost your ROI.

How Social Media Can Help

Do you have a Facebook Fan Page? If not, you should seriously consider creating one. According to a survey conducted by New York-based InSites Consulting USA, 80 percent of American companies surveyed use Facebook to promote their business.

There are numerous ways to use Facebook marketing, but when it comes to direct mail, make sure that your campaign encourages your customer to “Like” your page. You can make special offers to your Facebook Fans and also let them know to watch for a special offer coming soon to their home. Create excitement, but don’t share the offer, so that they’re watching for your mail piece. Post often. We know that not everyone sees all posts in their news feed. Make sure that you’re consistent with your Facebook messages and create a buzz about a week to ten days before the piece drops.

If your clients are on Twitter, promote there also; and, again, do it often. Your goal is to create buzz around the offer that is coming, but also to build trust. Tweet short bits of fun information or valuable tips based upon your following.

Increase the Impact

Adding a QR code, also known, as a Quick Response Code is smart. These are the decorative squares printed onto your direct mail piece. Customers can then use their smart phones or tablets to scan the code and immediately, they are directed to your website or social media page. It’s a playful way to tap into your customer’s curiosity, because they want to know where the QR code will take them. It’s fun. It’s easy and it helps someone take action.

If direct mail marketing is part of your ongoing strategy, consider adding a different QR code to each separate mail piece. The code can take your customer to a different landing page or coupon where they receive immediate gratification. This is a creative way to engage your customer, but the added bonus is that customers will stay engaged with your company and pay attention when your mail piece shows up in their mailbox.

In today’s fast-paced, instant gratification world, the businesses that shine above all others are the ones who stay on top of trends. Sometimes it feels overwhelming to try and run a business and keep up with the external noise, but in this case, the noise matters. If you aren’t familiar with all the latest social media trends, find someone who is. This might be as simple as looking within your own company to find the one person who “gets” it and knows how to magnify your marketing by using social media strategies. You don’t have to know how to do everything, but you should definitely be using social media tactics to boost your direct mail campaigns.